Vibratory conveyors are generally known for moving material along a horizontally disposed conveying surface. Typically, such a system is useful for moving parts, products, particles, or other like material, from one location to another, such as in a factory, warehouse, or other industrial setting. In many cases, typical conveyor belts cannot be used to move these types of articles due to the size of the material. Oftentimes, smaller parts, products or particles may fall off or into the mechanism moving the conveyor belts, causing damage to the systems. Moreover, conveyor belts tend to easily wear over time, requiring replacement, and impacting time and costs to do so.
Vibratory conveying surfaces solve problems associated with moving parts, products, particles and/or other material that would otherwise be difficult to move over conveyor belt systems. A vibratory conveying surface typically comprises a horizontally-disposed surface, typically made from solid metal. Oftentimes, the surface is an elongated tray with sidewalls to prevent the parts, products, particles or other like material from falling off as it moves over the surface. A vibration is typically induced on the surface, and forces associated with the vibration typically move the material in one direction or the other.
Various mechanisms have been proposed and are used to induce directional movement of material along horizontal surfaces. In one example, the horizontal surface is supported by a plurality of springs, and a pair of vibration inducing motors is designed to impact the horizontal surface, inducing vibrations in one direction or another. Specifically, a first motor, typically having an eccentric weight for inducing the vibration on the surface, is mounted to a slat at approximately 45 degrees to the bed, angled rightwardly, and a second motor having an eccentric weight for inducing vibration on the surface is mounted to a slat at approximately 45 degrees to the bed, angled leftwardly. Activation of the first motor induces vibrations pitched rightwardly and activation of the second motor induces vibrations pitched leftwardly on the horizontal surface. By controlling the first and second motors, movement of material is induced in one direction or the other.
However, the use of two or even more motors to induce movement of material via vibration along a horizontal surface can be loud, use significant amounts of power, and require significant amounts of space to mount of the multiple motors. The use of multiple motors can lead to increased risk of failure and may be costly to replace.
Various proposals exist to solve some of the problems associated with vibratory conveyor systems. Specifically, to reduce motor size, energy requirements and associated costs, a single motor is proposed to induce vibratory movement of material along a horizontal surface. Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,796 describes the use of a single motor and a system of isolation springs. The motor, having an eccentric weight thereon, induces vibrations in one direction or another based on its rotation. Specifically, rotating the motor in one direction induces vibratory movement of material along a horizontal surface in a first direction, while reversing the motor induces vibratory movement of material along the horizontal surface in a second direction.
The various proposals for inducing vibration often do not adequately solve the problems associated therewith. Specifically, the use of a single motor may decrease energy costs, but may lessen control of the system, as the motor must be stopped then reversed to induce the desired movement of the material. In many cases, there is still the need for a large amount of space to house the motor or motors, along with the complicated spring systems necessary to induce the vibratory movement.
A need, therefore, exists for improved vibratory conveyor apparatuses. More specifically, a need exists for vibratory conveyor apparatuses that easily, efficiently, and cost-effectively induce movement of material in one direction or another along a bed or other horizontal surface. Moreover, a need exists for vibratory conveyor apparatuses that minimize space requirements, so that vibratory conveyor systems may be installed and deployed in desired locations without space constraints.
Oftentimes, the impact of the motors on the horizontal surface and the inducement of movement on material may decrease as the material moves away from the specific location of the motor and its connection to the horizontal surface. Specifically, movement of material may be greatly induced on the horizontal surface in a localized area adjacent to the point of contact of the motor on the surface. As the material moves away from the point of contact with the motor, the induced vibration on the horizontal surface is typically lessened. In some cases, material may fail to move at all as the material is displaced a certain distance from the motor. To compensate, larger and more powerful motors having increased rotation speeds may be introduced, negating cost savings and increasing space constraints.
A need, therefore, exists for vibratory conveyor apparatuses that effectively impact the entirety of the longitudinal horizontal surface. Specifically, a need exists for vibratory conveyor apparatuses that move material along the longitudinal path of the horizontal surface at the same speed, regardless of distance of the material from the motor.
In addition, heretofore prior vibratory conveyor apparatuses often require a large degree of fine-tuning to induce vibratory movement of material. Oftentimes, the vibratory movement on a bed may be impacted by the center of gravity of the system from the motor imparting vibratory forces thereto. Often, the center of gravity is set prior to the loading of the bed with material thereon. Loading material on the bed impacts the position of the center of gravity of the system, and therefore the motor must often be repositioned. The position of the motor must also be changed if the material on the bed changes.
A need, therefore exists, for vibratory conveyor apparatuses that are immune to changes caused by differences in material loading. Specifically, a need exists for vibratory conveyor apparatuses that can be set and operate the same no matter the material moving thereon.
Prior systems also attempt to control speed of material moving on the bed by increasing or decreasing the speed of the motor imparting vibratory forces to the bed, thereby requiring control of the motor. A need exists for vibratory conveyor apparatuses that are not reliant or solely reliant on the control of the speed of the vibratory motor to increase or decrease the speed of material moving on the bed. Specifically, a need exists for vibratory conveyor apparatuses that control speed by lengthening or shortening of one or more deflectors, maintaining constant speed of the vibratory motors thereon.